MORE HEIGHT, LESS EFFORT

Get your casting angle right by avoiding these two common errors and you’ll see immediate improvement in your distance

Plenty of height on the cast is rarely a bad thing. A trajectory of around 40-degrees is about right, but the angle isn’t critical for beach work. Aim for reasonable height where the rig neither skims the water nor towers into the sky like a rocket but falls short of the mark.

A nice trajectory maximises casting range and ensures a bit of slackness in the line when the rig hits the water. If line is tight at that point, which it probably will be with a low cast, bait clips tend to stick rather than release cleanly. Modest line tension on splashdown is a great help in that respect, especially with relay rigs where several hooks must be released.

Low casts are triggered by two common culprits. Whether we use a simple overhead cast or a big pendulum, a mighty push with the right arm and shoulder prevents a rod from working properly and automatically drives the rig low, often to the left. An over-dominant right side is probably the biggest single mistake in casting. The obvious step is to produce a better balance between left and right arms.

HEADS UP

The second crucial factor is head position. Although this might seem to be irrelevant, what the head does has a massive effect on casting regardless of style. Its position shapes the entire cast. Most people focus on a spot out to sea where they want the cast to land. In other words, they’re looking low and thus their head is down.

In almost any sport that involves aiming, it is important to focus on what you want to hit, and thus in fishing it seems logical to look at the water. But our focal point must be a spot in the sky where we want the rig to reach peak height. Look high and in the direction you want the cast to fly, not at the sea.

Left hand control is most easily learned with an overhead style. Set up with the rod held about horizontal and at head height. Focus up where you want the cast to go - and it doesn’t hurt to overdo the height at first. Forget the right hand. Pull down with the left, which creates the right dynamics within the rod so that it loads early and throws high.

As you get used to the new action, notice that the trajectory automatically changes in step with where you’re looking. Focus higher, cast higher. Focus lower, cast lower. After a while all that’s necessary is to choose the point where you want the rig to go. Higher if there’s a tail wind so that the cast carries farther. Slightly lower for headwinds.

Some rods naturally throw differently from others. With overhead casting, a long stiff rod generally throws higher than average whereas a softer one may tend to go lower. Adjusting the leader drop also helps determine cast height, but left-hand control is the biggest factor by far. Get it right, and most rods will do what you want. ■